Code Of Shadows

Explanation

Donnie's eyes widened. "Its nothing, dont worry-" Mikey cut him off. "Is this why you haven't been sleeping?" He gave him a stare. "N-No" Donnie's heart started beating faster then normal. "Im gonna tell Raph~" Mikey teased him again. "Mikey please don-" Mikey ran out of the room before he could finish his sentence.

Donnie sighed.Looks like everyones goong to know about this now.  He watched Mikey dash out of the room, leaving him alone with the safe now open. The artifact flashing blue shined on the floor. As he reached down to pick up the artifact and placed it back into the safe.

He tried to fix the door. He knew that it wouldn't be long before Mikey returned with Raph and possibly Leo too, to investigate further. He needed to come clean and explain what he had been working on, no matter how uncomfortable it might be.

Taking a deep breath he prepared himself for what was about to happen. Hopefully they'd understand why he kept it a secret. As he heard the footsteps approaching the lab, he prepared himself to reveal the truth.

Raph returned to the lab, followed by Leo who had a concerned look on his face. "Raph, Leo, you won't believe what Donnie's been hiding!" Leo looked down at the safe. "Donnie? What's this all about?" He asked, he was curious but also concerned.

Donnie sighed, realizing there was no way to avoid the conversation. "Okay guys, here's the big deal." They looked at Donnie with a concerned look. "I've been working on this project in secret. It's kind of... an experimental dimensional gateway. I wanted to create a safe way for us to travel between dimensions, especially in emergencies." Raph's eyes widened. "A dimensional gateway? Why keep it a secret Donnie?" He asked.

Donnie hesitated before responding. He sighed. "I was afraid it might be too risky or that it could fall into the wrong hands. I didn't want to worry anyone until I was sure it was safe. But I've been losing sleep over it, and I know I should have told you guys earlier."

Leo nodded his concern, left him as he learned to understand what he meant. "We appreciate your intentions, Donnie, but keeping something like this a secret from us is never a good idea. We're a team, and we need to trust each other."

Mikey chimed in. "Yeah dude, and keeping secrets from your bro's can hurt the relationship. We're here to help!" Donnie felt a mix of relief and remorse.  He had underestimated his brother's understanding and support. "I'm sorry, guys. You're right. I should have trusted you from the start."

Raph, still eyeing the safe with caution, asked, "So what's with the glowing, Donnie? Is that normal?" Donnie scratched the back of his head, looking somewhat sheepish. "Well that's the thing. It shouldn't be glowing like this. It's a sign that something might not be right with the core stabilizer. I was planning to fix it before anyone found out."

Mikey's eyes widened with concern. "Fix it? Donnie, does that mean it's dangerous?" Donnie nodded solemnly. "It could be, Mikey. That's why I didn't want anyone mesr it up until I figured out what was going wrong." Leo stepped closer to the safe, examining it more closely. "We need to assess the situation carefully. Donnie, can you explain how this dimensional gateway works and what risks it might pose?"

Donnie proceeded to explain the technical details of the project, the purpose of the gateway, and the potential dangers if it malfunctioned. As he spoke, the gravity of the situation became clearer to his brothers. Raph crossed his arms, deep in thought. "So, what are our options, Donnie? Can you fix it?"
Donnie sighed.

"I'm not entirely sure. It might be a complex problem that requires time and resources. But for now, I think we should disable it temporarily, at least until I can figure out what's wrong."Mikey added, "And maybe we should let April and Splinter know about this. They might have some insights or resources to help."

Leo nodded in agreement. "Donnie, keeping it a secret didn't work out so well. We need to work together as a team to address this."

Donnie felt a sense of relief as he realized his brothers were supportive and willing to help him resolve the situation. "You're right, Leo. I'm sorry for keeping secrets, and I appreciate your understanding."